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Jobs & internships at Vincent Systems: Join us in shaping the future of hand prosthetics – exciting positions in Karlsruhe. Jetzt bewerben Initiativbewerbung Abschlussarbeit (m/w/d) Standort Karlsruhe, DE Arbeitsbereich Alle Arbeitsmodell Vor Ort Anstellungsart Minijob Job ID DEEM1074-01 Startdatum ab sofort Job veröffentlicht 29.01.2026 Über Vincent Systems: Vincent Systems steht für innovative Medizintechnik, ein außergewöhnliches Design und für Hightech „made in Germany“. Mit unseren roboterähnlichen, myoelektrisch gesteuerten Produkten gestalten wir die Zukunft der Handprothetik und verbessern damit täglich die Lebensqualität vieler Menschen. Im grünen Zentrum der Technologiestadt Karlsruhe entwickeln und produzieren wir die weltweit modernsten und qualitativ hochwertigsten bionischen Prothesen und Exoskelette auf dem Markt. Die perfekte Verbindung von Hightech und Kunst, von Präzision und Innovation, von Mensch und Technik. Das macht uns aus und unsere Produkte zu etwas Besonderem. Deine Aufgaben: Gemeinsame Entwicklung eines individuellen Themas mit anschließender Ausarbeitung einer praxisorientierten Abschlussarbeit Was wir von Dir erwarten: Immatrikulation an einer deutschen Hochschule oder Universität im Bachelor- oder Masterstudium, z.B. in den Bereichen App- und VR-Entwicklung, Elektrotechnik, Maschinenbau/Konstruktion, Qualitätsmanagement, Kurzfilmerstellung, oder andere Freude und Interesse an praxisorientierter Forschung und lösungsorientiertem Arbeiten Eigenständige, strukturierte Arbeitsweise Motivation, gemeinsam Zukunftsthemen zu gestalten Was bieten wir? Beschäftigung auf Minijobbasis Abwechslungsreiche, verantwortungsvolle Aufgabenstellungen in einem erfolgreichen Unternehmen Einblicke in ein spannendes und zukunftssicheres Arbeitsumfeld Perspektive auf eine anschließende Festanstellung bei gegenseitigem Interesse Kollegialer Teamzusammenhalt mit flachen Hierarchien und Kommunikation auf Augenhöhe Zuschuss zur Kantine sowie kostenlose Getränke und frisches Obst Regelmäßiger Teambrunch und vielfältige Möglichkeiten für gemeinsame Aktivitäten – ob Sport in der Mittagspause oder besondere Events Flexible Arbeitszeitgestaltung Interessiert? Sende uns ein Anschreiben sowie Deinen vollständigen Lebenslauf inkl. relevanter Zeugnisse unter Angabe eines frühestmöglichen Eintrittstermins und Deiner Gehaltsvorstellung per E-Mail an Frau Martin: bewerbung@vincentsystems.de . Unser Standort: Deine Ansprechpartnerin: Emily Martin Human Resources bewerbung@vincentsystems.de

The history of Vincent Systems: From its founding in 2009 to product innovations and international expansion – high-tech in prosthetics. History of the Fluidhand and the VINCENTevolution 1998 Fluidhand 1 thin foil soft robot hand with 5DOF, 5iDOF This first soft hand consists of thin foil layers, which have been joined together to form more complex drives in a sandwich construction. Five fingers, built up from 6 foil layers each, functionally welded in pairs, with the middle two foils forming the skeletal structure filled with epoxy resin. The outer two foil layers each form a fluidic muscle. For this purpose, two thin films were welded together in such a manner that chambers were formed in a row and connected to each other. When this structure is inflated with a gas or liquid, it contracts by about 20% of its length, similar to the natural muscle, and the finger curls up like a bow. Read more 1999 Fluidhand 2 silicon tube soft sobot hand with 16DOF, 11iDOF The new planar technology for manufacturing fluidic drives and kinematics was therefore ideally suited for actively moving miniature catheters and endoscopes. However, the forces achievable with planar film drives, which operate at a working pressure of 0.5-1 bar, were too low for the construction of an artificial hand. To generate higher grasping forces, a correspondingly higher working pressure had to act in the fluidic drives. For Fluidhand 2, “artificial muscles” based on thin silicone hoses were therefore used, which were sheathed with a flexurally flexible, stretch-resistant fabric made of polyamide. Read more 2000 Fluidhand 3 rubber bulg soft hand prosthesis with 10DOF, 1iDOF With the third generation of the Fluidhand, Schulz transferred the technology of flexible fluid actuators to a hand prosthesis. To achieve higher grasping forces, the drives were modified for grasping even heavy objects. The unfolded silicone tubes reinforced with fabric were replaced by miniature folded bellows, which in turn were encased in fabric and attached to aluminum joints in the folds by nylon threads to keep their shape. Three drive elements in each finger, with the two distal bellows coupled together, and two drives in the thumb allow 14 joint axes to move in this hand, equivalent to 14 DOF at 10 iDOF. The fluid actuators were driven by means of miniature hydraulics. The control system, consisting of pump, valve, electronics, sensors and tank, was connected to the prosthesis via a hose approximately 1 m long. The hydraulic unit was the size of a portable telephone and was worn on the belt. Read more 2001 Fluidhand 4 rubber bulg soft hand prosthesis with 10DOF, 6iDOF The Fluidhand 4 has 10 flexible bellows drives, each of which, when pressurized, angles an aluminum joint by 90 degrees. Stretching is achieved by suction of the drive medium and by additional elastic bands. Each long finger has two drives that are fluidically coupled to each other and each leads to a common control valve in the metacarpus. The thumb has two individually movable drives, each of which is actuated by a separate valve. The drive medium is water. This hand prosthesis operates hydraulically for the first time. A miniature pump draws the fluid from an elastic reservoir in the forearm and pumps it at up to 6 bar via the valve bank into the bellows drive chambers. The pump and valves are controlled by a microprocessor in the hand, and the prosthesis wearer gives the control commands via myoelectric sensors. Read more 2002 Fluidhand 5 rubber bulg soft handprosthesis with 8DOF, 5iDOF The Fluidhand 5 was designed with the aim of integrating all system components of miniature hydraulics into the metacarpals in order to make the hand compatible with established socket systems. The prosthesis can be connected to all standard prosthetic sockets via a quicksnap wrist. Both the myoelectric sensors and the energy storage of the socket are used. The pump, fluid tank, valve bank and controller are located in and on the metacarpus. With the reduction in tank size, the number of fluidic drive was reduced to 8. The ring finger and little finger are flexed over one drive each. In the weight-optimized frame in sandwich construction, the elastic finger abduction was integrated. Five valves control the 8 drives of the hand, with the ring, little and middle fingers being hydraulically connected to each other. Read more 2003 Fluidhand 6 rubber bulg soft handprosthesis with 4DOF, 3iDOF The Fluidhand 6 is a particularly compact version of the hydraulic hand prosthesis, reduced to the essentials. The index, middle and ring fingers are each moved in the base joint via a flexible bellows drive, the little finger is mechanically coupled to the ring finger, and the middle finger is hydraulically coupled to the ring finger. The thumb is actuated in the basic joint. In this way, the thumb and index finger can be moved separately, while the other fingers move together. The 4 drives are controlled by a 3 valve bank, the miniature pump sucks distilled water from a pressure storage tank to pump it into the drive chambers. The weight of the hand is about 350 g. The aluminum fingers were covered with a PU foam. In the basic joints, all long fingers have an elastically mounted abduction. Weiter lesen 2004 Fluidhand 7 rubber bulg soft handprosthesis with 8DOF, 8iDOF The Fluidhand 7 is designed as an experimental hand. It is used to develop new control methods and to test a new tank system that is capable of storing energy. The hand therefore has one valve for each of the 8 drives. A type of spring accumulator was developed for the hydraulic tank, which allows the hand to be closed quickly and silently without the hydraulic pump operating. Due to the large number of new and experimental components, the metacarpus has turned out to be significantly larger than the previous model, but at this stage of development, the anatomical shape and size of the hand is not a priority. Read more 2005 Fluidhand 8 rubber bulg soft handprosthesis with 8DOF, 4iDOF The Fluidhand 8 has 8 drives that are controlled via 5 valves. The bellows in the index finger and middle finger are each hydraulically coupled with each other, and the drives of the ring and little fingers are also connected with each other via a common valve. The special feature of this further development is that the metacarpus has been replaced by a hermetically sealed pressure body. Inside the metacarpus is an elastic tank in the form of a diaphragm, in which both the drive medium (vegetable oil) and the control electronics, valves and pump are integrated; all system components "float" permanently in the drive medium. Between the pressure body shell and the diaphragm there is again a two-phase gas with a constant pressure of 2 bar. Read more 2006 Fluidhand 9 rubber bulg soft handprosthesis with 5DOF, 5iDOF The Fluidhand 9 has 5 drives of different sizes. The base joints of the index finger and middle finger are equipped with stronger drives. The elastic fluid tank is located in the wrist. When the fingers are emptied, they are stretched and the fluid is pumped from the finger joints into the elastic tank in the wrist, bending the wrist and opening the hand further. The pump is noise-isolated and free-swinging in a CFRP tank; valves and controls are located in the metacarpus, which is completely covered with CFRP. The thumb with a drive in the base pivots between flat hand and opposition position to the three-point grip. Read more Current products

VINCENTevolution5 Humanoid Robotics Cutting-edge robotics meets high-tech hand prosthetics At Booth B59 in Hall 11 of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) at the 2026 Hannover Messe, modern robotics and highly advanced bionic hand systems come together in a joint technological application. The latest generation of the ARMAR robot family, developed at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), impressively demonstrates how closely these two fields can work together. The ARMAR 7 service robot, developed at KIT, was equipped with two hand systems from the Karlsruhe-based company Vincent Systems GmbH as part of a research collaboration. The VINCENTevolution5 hand systems were equipped with a new interface and software for this application. The humanoid robots of the ARMAR family are designed to assist people in their daily lives and at work. ARMAR-7 has recently begun using our bionic VINCENT hands for this purpose and benefits from their proven suitability for everyday use, which is reflected in an extremely robust construction, high gripping force, and precise control. The robotic hands are made of high-strength aluminum and, optionally, titanium, which is coated with HTV silicone. In the hand, which weighs only 450g, six powerful motors control the 6 iDOF and 11 joints, enabling gripping forces of up to 45N to be generated at each individual fingertip. The robust, waterproof design (IP68) as well as the anatomical shape and size make the VINCENTevolution5 the ideal hand for humanoid robotics. All technical details at a glance Technical specifications ARMAR-7 with VINCENTevolution hand systems

Overview of registered patents and property rights in the field of hand prosthetics and exoskeletons – Innovation & Quality from Vincent Systems. Patents All our products are registered and protected by the following United States patents: US8491666: VINCENTevolution1, VINCENTevolution3, VINCENTevolution3+, VINCENTevolution4, VINCENTevolution5, VINCENTpartial3, VINCENTpartial3+, VINCENTpartial4, VINCENTyoung3, VINCENTyoung3+ US9072616: VINCENTevolution2, VINCENTpartial2, VINCENTyoung2 US12440355: emg US11517454 and by the following German and European patents: DE102014011554, DE102017005765, DE102016014090, DE102017010840, DE102017007794, DE102008056520, DE202014003565, DE202017000172, DE102017005761, DE102017005762, DE102017005764, DE102012005041, DE102020119343, DE102017010839, EP2364129 and others.

Pictures from the 2023 Vincent Systems Symposium, where customers presented the company's latest product innovations. VINCENT Symposium 2023 Close

Pictures of the Vincent Systems booth at the REHAB trade fair for orthopaedic technicians and users in 2023. REHAB 2023 Close neo1 Exoskeleton VINCENTvr Training system

Learn more about Vincent Systems' awards and prizes in the fields of medical technology, design, and innovation. Awards

Previous model of the VINCENTpartial4: proven myoelectric technology, robust, lightweight, compact, and water-resistant. VINCENTpartial3+ Waterproof to IP67 | Modular design | Individually customizable | Single Finger Control Light and compact | Numerous grip types, selectable at any time | Available in titanium The VINCENTpartial3+ is the third generation of our prosthesis series for partial hand fittings with motor-driven single fingers and thumbs. The VINCENTpartial3+ is the waterproof design variant of the VINCENTpartial3. Hand washing under running water is possible without any problems, provided that the design of the prosthesis shaft also permits this. The prosthesis can be adapted to different fitting situations thanks to our modular system. The fingers, thumb, control unit and batteries can be placed individually to accommodate an anatomical reconstruction of the hand, as far as technically possible. The fingers and thumb are attached to the prosthesis stem via a steel frame concept. This determines the hand width as well as the position and orientation of the fingers. Control can be done via EMG sensors using muscle tension or via tactile FSR sensors. Grasp selection and proportional control of the fingers follow our standardized control concept. Numerous different grips can be achieved by timed opening and closing signals as long as four long fingers and a thumb are used. If fewer electrically operated fingers are used, the grasp types are reduced accordingly. Alternatively the Single Finger Control (SFC) method can be used to control as many as 5 fingers individually by up to 5 input sensors. This makes a more intuitive and faster usage of the prosthesis possible. The fingers and thumb are made of a high-strength aluminum alloy. We also offer a special version in titanium. For a secure grasp, all components have a rubber coating. As with all our models, the index finger tip is touchscreen-compatible. The particularly powerful, compact, and at the same time robust design of our partial hand prosthesis is unique and sets us apart from all other solutions. This makes the prosthesis particularly suitable for everyday use. High quality and outstanding design go without saying. Flyer VINCENTpartial3+ Technical specifications Photo gallery VINCENTpartial3+ we love perfection

Pictures from the 2019 Vincent Systems Symposium, where customers presented the company's latest product innovations. VINCENT Symposium 2019 Close

You can train the numerous grasps of the VINCENT hand prostheses by following the grasp scheme illustrated in the VINCENTmobile App. Close Up VINCENTmobile App TRAINING The grasping scheme is illustrated here. Additionally, the grasp the prosthesis is currently in as well as an animation of how the prosthesis fingers are supposed to move is displayed here. Here you can train the numerous grasps of the VINCENT hand prostheses. Up

For the first time, hand prostheses can be conveniently charged via USB-C. Flexible LiPo batteries can be easily installed in any socket. VINCENTpower flex USB-C USB-C Charger The VINCENTpower flex USB-C makes it possible for the first time to charge a hand prosthesis easily via a USB port. What has been a matter of course for mobile devices of all kinds for many years is now also finding its way into prosthetics. With its robust and simple handling, the USB-C charging port is the ideal charging access. The prosthesis wearer only needs one charger for their prosthesis and other mobile devices such as smartphones or tablet PCs with the VINCENTpower USB power supply, certified as a medical device according to IEC 60601-1. In addition to the classic USB power supply, mobile energy storage devices such as our VINCENTpowerbank with a capacity of 10,000 mAh, but also solar cells or inductive charging systems can be used to charge the batteries. Charging via USB creates almost unlimited freedom of movement in terms of time and place for handling the prosthesis. You can focus on more important things than the next charging. Flexible LiPo cells The new battery system features LiPo cells whose shape can be adapted to the prosthesis stem. Unlike conventional LiPo cells, the individual cells, which were specially developed for this application and are only 4 mm high, can be plastically molded. They also differ from other battery cells in terms of their material and manufacturing process. The moldable LiPo battery cells are produced exclusively for Vincent Systems GmbH according to our specifications. The design has been patented by our company. Development and production are always carried out, tested and certified according to all required standards. Output voltage, protective circuit and polarity are identical to all common battery systems used in prosthetics. The 2-cell LiPo battery systems are compatible and safe to use with almost all hand prosthesis systems from common manufacturers available on the market - the only exceptions are hand systems or grippers with a higher battery voltage. This product is also available for technicians who have not yet received a VINCENT certificate. Flyer VINCENTpower flex USB-C

2000 - Fluidhand 3 Up With the third generation of the Fluidhand, Schulz transferred the technology of flexible fluid actuators to a hand prosthesis. To achieve higher grasping forces, the drives were modified for grasping even heavy objects. The unfolded silicone tubes reinforced with fabric were replaced by miniature folded bellows, which in turn were encased in fabric and attached to aluminum joints in the folds by nylon threads to keep their shape. Three drive elements in each finger, with the two distal bellows coupled together, and two drives in the thumb allow 14 joint axes to move in this hand, equivalent to 14 DOF at 10 iDOF. The fluid actuators were driven by means of miniature hydraulics. The control system, consisting of pump, valve, electronics, sensors and tank, was connected to the prosthesis via a hose approximately 1 m long. The hydraulic unit was the size of a portable telephone and was worn on the belt. The load-bearing structure of the prosthetic hand was modeled on the skeleton of the human hand. The radiating metacarpal bones, which merge into the long fingers, are moveably mounted in the carpus, and spring elements are located between the metacarpal bones to elastically stretch the metacarpus. This design achieves a naturally acting passive abduction of the long fingers, with a positive effect on the adaptability of the hand during grasping and on the natural feel of the hand. The bellows drives are inflated with fluid, usually water, at a pressure of up to 6bar when a finger joint is moved. The expanding bellows thereby flexes the finger joint. The extension of the joint is achieved partly by the suction of the drive, partly by an additional elastic restoring band. The weight of the prosthesis is 190g, the grasping force on the finger is approx. 5N. In this prosthesis functional sample, all fingers were simultaneously filled and deflated via the hydraulic hose to investigate hand function and adaptive grasping. As a cosmetic cover and to create a functional surface, a customized latex glove was fabricated. A first functional sample was successfully tested at the Orthopedic University Hospital in Heidelberg. Schulz, by now head of an interdisciplinary research group, was now able to establish work on a hand prosthesis as a program-oriented research priority. Up

Four wrist options for flexible mobility, easy operation, and compatibility with our prosthetic systems. VINCENTwrist Wrist joints for adults and children | Standard, extra short, adjustable flexion | Low weight | Short length quicksnap | quicksnap+flexion | short | short+flexion VINCENTwrist quicksnap The standard wrist joint makes it possible to quickly and easily attach and remove the hand prosthesis. The joint offers compatibility with other systems such as DynamicArm or Boston Digital Arm™. VINCENTwrist short Our transcarpal joint convinces with its uniquely low mounting depth and is therefore also suitable for long arm stumps. In addition to the prosthesis-side joint, the shaft-side lamination plate (22 g / 0.05 lb) is also particularly light. The standard wrist and the transcarpal joint can be rotated noiselessly and gridlessly. The force required for rotation can be individually adjusted for each user. Both wrists can be combined with the joint VINCENTwrist flexion that can be angled. VINCENTwrist flexion The joint has a large range of movement and allows for flexion from -36° to +36°. lt is particularly suitable for bilateral users due to its switchless operation. The position is changed by pulling, moving and releasing. Our four wrist options are characterized by their low mounting depths. Due to the intelligent multi-material-mix, the wrists are particularly light and at the same time very robust and corrosion resistant. Flyer VINCENTwrist Technical specifications VINCENTwrist quicksnap | quicksnap+flexion short | short+flexion we love perfection

Get certified here to sell our hand and partial hand prostheses. Everything you need to know about our online courses and certifications. Get certified! Become a supplier of premium products—take a digital course with Vincent Systems. General information about our courses Our myoelectric prostheses can only be purchased by qualified personnel who have previously successfully completed a certification course in our company or online. Without this course , the following product categories can be ordered from us: - VINCENTpartial passiv - VINCENTpower USB flex - VINCENTwork - Accessories A VINCENT certificate is required for fitting our myoelectric hand and partial hand prostheses. We recommend attending the certification course not only for orthopedic technicians, but also for occupational therapists and physiotherapists who are involved in the fitting of patients. In our certification course, you will learn about our different prostheses, our unique control concept and all the adjustment options of the prostheses with the help of our app. Registration & Prices For more information and prices, please call +49 721 480 714 0 or send us an e-mail: sales@vincentsystems.de You are also welcome to send us a register form via the following links: VINCENT hand prostheses (VINCENTcertificate HAND Basic) VINCENT partial hand prostheses (VINCENTcertificate PARTIALHAND4 Basic) The digital courses guide you through all topics of the VINCENT hand prosthesis systems. The course enables you to use all system components. Upon successful completion of the course program, you will receive a certificate that identifies you as a qualified Vincent Systems customer. This gives you access to all services.

How to contact Vincent Systems: Address, telephone number, email address for support and sales of hand prostheses and exoskeletons. Contact Vincent Systems GmbH Albert-Nestler-Str. 28-30 76131 Karlsruhe Germany General requests and support: Phone: +49 721 480 714 0 Fax: +49 721 480 714 99 E-Mail: service@vincentsystems.de Technical support for orthopedic technicians: Phone: +49 721 47 00 4444 Service hours: Mon - Thurs : 9am - 12 pm and 1pm - 4:30pm (CET) Fri: 9a m - 12pm and 1pm - 3p m (CET) Orders: E-Mail: sales@vincen tsystems.de Fax: +49 721 480 714 99 Imprint Information duty according to § 5 TMG. Vincent Systems GmbH CEO: Dr. Stefan Schulz Albert-Nestler-Str. 28-30 76131 Karlsruhe Germany Phone: +49 721 480 714 0 Fax: +49 721 480 714 99 E-Mail: service @vincentsystems.de Register court: AG Mannheim Register number: HRB 706896 VAT ID: DE 265276770

Tim shows how he wears his VINCENTevolution prosthesis openly: high-tech, customizable, and stylish—for everyday life and special occasions. Close Foto: Kira Flora High-tech you can touch: Why I wear my prosthesis openly By Tim Hello! I’m Tim, 33 years old, living with my wife in Stuttgart, and I have been a prosthesis user for 10 years. I have always been a very active and athletic person—even the accident that left me wearing a prosthetic arm for the past 10 years hasn't changed that. Nevertheless, such an event brings with it a number of new challenges. In addition to coping with everyday life, I also had to get used to a new body image. Suddenly, you no longer look like everyone else, which can be particularly difficult for young people. As an engineer, I have always been very interested in technology. So it was clear to me from the outset that my prosthesis should be visible. Personally, I have always preferred to wear it openly rather than covering it with sleeves or gloves. Today, I wear a myoelectric upper arm prosthesis with an active elbow and a VINCENTevolution from Vincent Systems – all in black. The “robotic” look of my left arm often sparks curiosity and fascination. Because I wear my prosthetic arm openly, people frequently approach me with questions. I can then decide for myself whether I feel like explaining my bionic prosthetic hand or not. B eyond public perception, aesthetics also play an important role in personal acceptance. The fact is, if you do not feel comfortable with your prosthesis, you are less likely to wear it consistently. This may lead to doing certain tasks without the prosthesis, even though a myoelectric prosthetic arm would actually be well suited for them. Fortunately, today there are many ways to customize the appearance of a prosthesis according to personal preferences. Often, prosthetists can incorporate visual customization directly during the fabrication of the socket. Covers allow for interchangeable looks for different occasions, and prosthetic hands are now available in an increasing variety of colors. The prosthetic hands from Vincent Systems, for example, are offered in numerous color combinations for both aluminum and silicone components. For my wedding this spring, I wore a light-colored suit. Since my regular prosthetic hand created a strong contrast, I borrowed a VINCENTevolution bionic hand in cream white and gold. The prosthesis blended perfectly with my outfit and complemented the look for this special occasion. The design philosophy of Vincent Systems has always emphasized open design. For their commitment to developing prosthetic hands that combine advanced functionality with visible high-tech aesthetics, without cosmetic gloves, the company received the German Design Award in 2014. Personally, I am very grateful to wear such a high-tech prosthetic device, one that I can fully rely on in everyday life as well as on special occasions. At the same time, I am excited about the future of modern prosthetic technology and look forward to the innovations yet to come.

All types of gloves to customize your hand prosthesis. Cosmetic, thermal, or work gloves for greater flexibility in everyday life. Textile gloves & Accessories - GF glove factory GmbH GF. COSMETIC GLOVE - Cosmetic gloves GF. COLOR GLOVE - Unicolor gloves GF. THERMO SLEEVE - Textile sleeve for the prosthetic socket GF. WORK GLOVE - Work gloves GF glove factory GmbH GF. cosmetic gloves GF. color gloves

2005 - Fluidhand 8 Up The Fluidhand 8 has 8 drives that are controlled via 5 valves. The bellows in the index finger and middle finger are each hydraulically coupled with each other, and the drives of the ring and little fingers are also connected with each other via a common valve. The special feature of this further development is that the metacarpus has been replaced by a hermetically sealed pressure body. Inside the metacarpus is an elastic tank in the form of a diaphragm, in which both the drive medium (vegetable oil) and the control electronics, valves and pump are integrated; all system components "float" permanently in the drive medium. Between the pressure body shell and the diaphragm there is again a two-phase gas with a constant pressure of 2 bar. The integrated design allows any space reserves in the metacarpus to be used as a fluid reservoir, while at the same time forming a maximum gas volume for preloading the hydraulic tank. The pump can draw directly from the environment and the pump, valves and electronics are optimally cooled by the surrounding liquid. The design makes the hand very compact and at the same time extremely stable. Due to the very flat metacarpus of 30 mm and the short design, the hand achieves an anatomical shape and with only 410 g it is particularly light. The Quicksnap wrist closure makes the prosthesis compatible with all stem systems and their power supply. The prosthesis is controlled by two EMG electrodes integrated in the prosthesis socket. Simple trigger switching signals can be used to switch between pre-programmed grips and the grips can then be controlled proportionally. For the first time, a sense of touch has also been integrated into the prosthesis. The grasping force measured on the index finger via a sensor is transmitted to the system controller, which activates a vibration motor on the hand that transmits coded information to the prosthesis wearer about the force applied. In addition, the Fluidhand 8 serves as a test platform for new prosthesis controls such as grip pattern recognition or motion control using 3D sensors, research areas on which the research center has been working intensively as part of the Fluidhand development. Up

2002 - Fluidhand 5 Up The Fluidhand 5 was designed with the aim of integrating all system components of miniature hydraulics into the metacarpals in order to make the hand compatible with established socket systems. The prosthesis can be connected to all standard prosthetic sockets via a quicksnap wrist. Both the myoelectric sensors and the energy storage of the socket are used. The pump, fluid tank, valve bank and controller are located in and on the metacarpus. With the reduction in tank size, the number of fluidic drive was reduced to 8. The ring finger and little finger are flexed over one drive each. In the weight-optimized frame in sandwich construction, the elastic finger abduction was integrated. Five valves control the 8 drives of the hand, with the ring, little and middle fingers being hydraulically connected to each other. Each of the 8 bellows-like drives is covered with a fabric that ensures the dimensional stability of the elastic inner chambers when a fluid is pumped into the cavity at a pressure of up to 6bar. The central chambers are fixed at the joint pivot point by loadable cords, thus the expansion of the bellows is redirected into a 90 degree rotational movement of the finger joint. The resetting of a joint is achieved by negative pressure in the bellows drive when the drive chambers are emptied; an elastic band supports the stretching of the joints. For storing the drive medium, usually water, Fluidhand 5 experimented with both foil membrane tanks and pressure storage tanks consisting of an elastic hose tank and a stable housing. Up